The Night Crew by Brad Ricks
Crystal Lake Entertainment (February 2025)
The Synopsis
After coming home to find his wife brutally murdered, Michael copes with his depression by searching for his wife’s killer. When they finally meet face to face, he uncovers a disturbing truth. Monsters are real, and a group of hunters known as The Night Crew are charged with keeping them in line. Michael must team up with them to get vengeance for his wife’s murder, but also retain his own humanity.
(Interview conducted by Rick Hipson)
CEMETERY DANCE: To kick things off, Brad, what does it mean for you and your third novel to be getting its release through Crystal Lake Entertainment?
BRAD RICKS: It’s an amazing feeling. Crystal Lake is such a huge force in the indie publishing world. To have one of my titles, the first in a series, with the support is huge. They have a ton of great titles and authors, and it is an absolute honor to be among them.
What can you tell us about how you came to work with Crystal Lake and what the editing and launching process has been like for you?
So, my story with Crystal Lake and The Night Crew is unique, at least I think so. I haven’t been in the industry long to know for sure. The Night Crew was originally picked up by Wicked House which I was thrilled about. They have great authors also. One day, Wicked House messaged and said that Crystal Lake had read The Night Crew and they wanted it.
The editing and launching process has been intense. There were several edit rounds and multiple proofreaders before finally getting the first ARC versions. Then, we’ve done more tweaks since the ARCs have gone out. Also, there are a lot of questionnaires, podcasts, and interviews that have been sent out and scheduled. It’s been a whirlwind, to say the least.
And how about that cover? It’s gorgeous and eye-catching to say the least. Who was the artist, and what did you think the first time you laid eyes on what will be your book cover for Night Crew?
Christian Bentulan did the cover. He’s a genius. We chatted a few times about the concept of the book, some of the themes, the overall feel of it. After a few days, he sent me the first draft of the cover. There wasn’t much changing that happened. I think we played with the font color some. For the most part, that first draft of the cover is the cover.
Brad, your first novel, Fear Not The Dead, out last year from Unveiling Nightmares Ltd, was about a woman who’s father was murdered and ends up caught in a web of revenge and restless spirits. With The Night Crew, you’ve got a man whose wife has been murdered and who finds himself face to face with her killer and a disturbing truth. You also mention in your about me section of your website that you’ve had the pleasure and pain of being married and divorced a few times. Is there any correlation between your personal life and your desire to write about murderous losses and haunting truths?
I’ve never thought about it that way, but maybe there is something deep inside. Sigh, time to call my therapist again (laughs).
For real, though, it’s not something I’ve intentionally done due to my personal life. From a plot device standpoint, loss — such as from a parent in Fear Not The Dead or a spouse in The Night Crew — is a catalyst that spurs strong emotions. In Fear, it’s what drives Ann’s paranoia and high anxiety. In The Night Crew, Mike’s quest for revenge is fueled by that event.
Maybe this would be a good time to talk about the manifestation of Night Crew in a way that is less likely to incriminate you. How long has the idea for this one been percolating in your mind for?
I’ve always been a fan of horror. For some reason, though, when I first decided to write a novel, I went with an action/adventure novel. It was a mix between a Dan Brown novel and Indiana Jones. It was a fun story but bad writing. It’ll never see the light of day without some MASSIVE rewrites. But it helped get the creative mind churning and was fun to write. I had the image in my head of a team, think Mission Impossible style, that hunted creatures. From that, the plot of The Night Crew developed around it.
Are there any inspirational, motivational, or otherwise influential items that you can trace back to your love for writing books about monsters and ghosts?
The typical response is “I read Stephen King when I was way too young,” but it goes back even before that. Poe was my first love. I was in junior high reading his works. I loved how his writing of the macabre was so fluid and real. You stood in the room as the heartbeat under the floorboards. The House of Usher crumbled around you as you read it. There was a thrill of reading things so visceral and terrifying yet comforted by the layer of protection between the real world and pages of the book.
Clearly, we are in a bit of a resurgence with vampire films, such is often the case every so often considering Dracula is the most filmed horror character in history. What is it about vampires that drove you to make them an integral part of The Night Crew, and an early part of your publishing journey?
Vampires have always been one of my favorite creatures of the night. Other creatures, werewolves, zombies, etc, it seemed when they turned, they lose themselves. But vampires were different. Dracula had control of himself. It was who he was, not something he turned into.
When you began your first draft of The Night Crew, did you already have it planned out as a series? And, if so, how did that inform the telling and structure of what will be book one on the series?
When I first started The Night Crew, it wasn’t a series, but a stand-alone vampire novel. I try to map out my stories, so I have an outline of where the story goes, but even then, sometimes the story takes on a life of its own. As the plot progressed, I wanted Silas, the antagonist, to have motivation outside of he’s just a murderous vampire. From his motivation was born the concept of the Council. Within the series, not just vampires are real but all creatures. The Council is the ruling members of different species (werewolf, vampire, demon, etc). Once I added in the Council, I realized the story just became a series. So many other storylines just opened up and an overarching story arc developed.
The fantasy genre in particular seems to benefit its writers most when they write series as opposed to stand alone novels. In your opinion, in what ways might it be advantageous for writers — especially new writers — to create series in the horror industry when it comes to growing their readership, developing successful relationships with publishers, marketing, as well as any personal benefits you can think of?
A series allows a reader to become invested in a storyline and a world they are already familiar with. A reader doesn’t have to relearn a world with each book they pick up. Once they pick up book two, they know the characters, the world, the stakes, the rules, etc. Also, if they are picking up book two, it’s probably because they enjoyed book one. The readership becomes a built in, known commodity. And with each story that comes out, the relationship the reader has with the characters grow stronger and stronger. Marketing-wise, you develop fans that are talking about book three which will make people interested in book one and two. It’s a compounding return.
Personally, aside from getting to know my readers as we discuss the books, I also develop a deeper relationship with a character. I’m not just with them for a few hundred pages. Even as the author, I get to ride along with them on multiple adventures.
And what are you most excited to present about your brand of vampires?
In the past twenty years or so, definitely since Twilight but maybe even before that with Interview with the Vampire, vampires have primarily become less that dangerous creature of the night, but instead, something to be saved. I wanted my brand of vampires to not be that. These are the vampires that want blood and lots of it. They are the hunters and humans are the prey. With the exception of The Night Crew who are there to hunt the hunters.
Like so many fantastic horror stories which have come before, you blend genres to create a mixture of creature terror with a good old fashioned who done it cat and mouse chase. Are there any specific challenges to merging these dual tropes to tell your story by that you can share with us?
The main challenge I had with The Night Crew was maintaining the element of horror. It’s easy to slip into another genre such as the mystery or action part. I wanted to still retain a horror influence so threading that fence was something I had to be very intentional about.
On the flip side of that question, how about walking us through the joys and advantages to your story in executing the emersion of sub-genres for The Night Crew?
It adds a level of complexity that really draws readers in and wants them to turn the next page. Horror alone is a rush and a thrill ride. I love horror novels. But adding in that touch of mystery, suspense, some action… for me, it makes me not just love the story but keep talking about it after I read the last page.
With convention season already kicking off, with things ramping up the closer to spring we get, I would love to pick your brain about best practices for attending conventions. Many writers — including me — think that one needs at least a dozen different titles scattered on your table to make vending at conventions worth it. Can you shed any light on this idea and how your experience has been?
I disagree. I went to a few local ones with only one title on my table. I’m excited that at the next AuthorCon, I’ll have three. Granted, when you have more than one title, you can sell multiple books to a customer at a time and have a higher grossing sale, but when I was only selling one book, I had decent sales. I talked about Fear Not The Dead and was passionate about it. It might look great to have a dozen titles sitting there but rarely is a customer buying all twelve. They’re still only buying one or two, and hey, I have one or two for you to buy.
Are there any approaches or strategies you’ve figured out that helps you get the most success out of conventions, whether monetary or personal?
I’m a firm believer that going to conventions has multiple benefits. Yes, I’m interacting with and selling directly to customers, but I’m also getting to know my fellow authors. I’m developing friendships with people who have similar interests and experiences; people who have reached out to me to do ARC reads and blurbs and I’ve reached out to them for the same.
And looking back on where you started to where you are now, Brad, with two full-length novels on your resume so far, is there anything you wish your current self-had told your past self by way of encouragement or best advice should you have wished you did things any differently than you have?
The only thing would be to tell myself when I was in high school to not stop writing. To keep cranking out short stories which will eventually become novels. Dreams can come true. Once upon a time, when I googled my name, I might’ve found my LinkedIn profile, but now, there are articles, podcasts, Amazon, Barnes & Noble. It’s surreal.
As you prepare for your book launch and all that entails, what would you site as your main focus in helping your book launch go as well as possible?
Social media for sure. Being active in groups like Books of Horror is definitely a main focus. Reaching out to the various Facebook groups I’m part of and asking people to spread the word. I’ll be very active on that day. Will have an event posted to do a reading and Q&A.
Finally, Brad, if you don’t mind looking ahead just a bit, what projects, life events, or anything in between are you most excited to be working on over the next year or so?
Besides the launch of The Night Crew and its sequel in October, this year is going to be a big year for conventions. I just returned from the Dark Drafts Festival in late Jan. I’ll be at AuthorCon in March, Texas AuthorCon in July, and TBRCon in Sept.
Thanks so much for this, Brad. I really appreciate your time with me here. If there’s anything additional current and future fans of your work need to know about The Night Crew as we look forward to longer days and surviving Valentines Day, consider the floor yours.
The Night Crew is the first book in a series. Book two comes out in October, and book three is being written. I apologize in advance (not really) for the frustration you’ll experience waiting to read the next book full of characters you will love more and more with each installment.
